Fatal Sunday Morning Road Accidents in Sitakunda Leave Two Dead

A tragic morning unfolded on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway in Sitakunda upazila, Chattogram, on Sunday, as two separate road mishaps claimed two lives and left at least six others injured. The incidents have once again brought the critical issue of reckless driving on Bangladesh’s major transport arteries to the forefront.

Bus Overturns in Kumira, Claiming One Life

The first accident occurred at approximately 7:30 am in the Iliyas Petrol Pump area under the Kumira union on the Dhaka-bound lane of the highway. According to eyewitnesses and emergency services, a passenger bus operated by ‘Jonaki Paribahan’, heading towards Noakhali from Chattogram, was travelling at a reckless speed. The driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to crash violently into the highway’s central reservation before overturning.

A passenger identified as Prakash, aged approximately 30, sustained fatal injuries in the crash. Six other passengers were seriously injured in the accident. The casualties were identified as:

• Rawshan Akhter (38)

• Mohiuddin (33), younger brother of Rawshan Akhter

• Mohammad Mannan (30)

• Sonia Akhter (25), wife of Mohammad Mannan

• Arpita Saha (20)

• Arif Mohammad Yusuf (51)

Witnesses reported hearing a deafening crash as the bus flipped over. Several passengers became trapped in the mangled wreckage, specifically between the roof and the engine compartment of the overturned vehicle.

Upon receiving the information, first responders from the Kumira Fire Service and Civil Defence hurried to the scene. They extricated the trapped passengers and rushed them to the Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH). Doctors at the hospital pronounced Prakash dead upon arrival.

Among the injured, Arpita Saha was travelling to Noakhali to sit for a job recruitment examination. Her father, Basudeb Saha, confirmed that she suffered severe lacerations and injuries to her hands and legs, requiring ongoing hospitalisation. Sub-Inspector Milton Mondal of the Barwalia Highway Police Station confirmed the incident, stating that law enforcement assisted in clearing the overturned bus from the thoroughfare.

Pedestrian Killed in Separate Hit-and-Run

In a separate incident just half an hour later, at around 8:00 am, a pedestrian lost his life in the same union near the Royal Cement Gate area. The victim, identified as 20-year-old Mohammad Imon, was walking along the Chittagong-bound side of the highway when an unidentified speeding vehicle struck him from behind.

According to Sergeant Shamim Alam of the Barwalia Highway Police Station, Imon died on the spot due to the impact. The vehicle responsible fled the scene immediately after the collision. Law enforcement authorities are currently investigating the incident and attempting to identify the rogue vehicle.

Contextual Background: The Dhaka-Chittagong Highway is considered the economic lifeline of Bangladesh, handling the bulk of the nation’s import-export cargo and heavy passenger traffic. Despite upgrades to a four-lane highway, the route remains highly prone to accidents. Road safety experts frequently attribute these recurrent tragedies to inadequate speed-limit enforcement, reckless overtaking, poorly designed u-turns, and driver fatigue, particularly during early morning hours.